Community Rallies Around Family of Kohen Wiley After Tragic Shooting

In a swift response, thousands of dollars have been raised through a GoFundMe campaign to support the family of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley. The toddler was fatally shot by a police officer in Mississippi over the weekend. The funds aim to assist with funeral and related expenses. By Friday afternoon, contributions had reached over $3,300, nearing the $5,000 goal.

“This money will help the family tremendously,” organizer Christopher Williams stated on the fundraising page. “Burying loved ones can be costly emotionally and financially. While this won’t bring back their baby boy, it will ease their burden during this difficult time.”

Incident Details

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) is reviewing the shooting, which occurred while officers responded to a shoplifting report in Senatobia on Sunday. The officers encountered two adults and a child leaving the store and entering a vehicle. As police attempted to stop it, the driver allegedly drove toward the officers, nearly hitting one, prompting an officer to fire at the vehicle.

Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, shared her account on social media. She described departing a Walmart with her son when her friend was approached by police. “I kept walking because it had nothing to do with me,” she said. Her friend then entered the vehicle and began reversing. Wiley lifted her son to show he was present when officers drew their weapons. “By the time I sat my baby back down, it was like three or four shots,” she recounted. A shot hit Kohen in the rib cage, while others injured her friend.

Though they drove to the hospital, Kohen was pronounced dead. Carolyn Stokes, Kohen’s great-grandmother, criticized the police officer’s actions as impulsive and careless during an interview with Newsweek.

Investigation and Reaction

Authorities informed Newsweek that bodycam footage from the incident might be released within months. Bailey Martin, a spokesperson from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, emphasized the case is a priority, with investigations usually concluding in six to nine months. Once MBI completes their investigation, findings will be handed over to the Attorney General’s Office.

Lawyer Van Turner, representing the family, believes the footage will exonerate the mother and her friend. “What you’re going to see is this vehicle was not a threat,” Turner said to Newsweek. “Excessive force was used when the threat was neutralized.” The Senatobia Police Department pledged transparency, placing the officer involved in the incident on leave.

Tensions in Senatobia

Marquell Bridges, leading the advocacy group Building Bridges Coalition, expressed to Newsweek that Kohen’s death marked a turning point in Senatobia’s history of problematic relations between Black residents and police. “There’s a long history of racism, over-policing, and brutality here,” Bridges stated. Other incidents have stirred tensions, such as a previous confrontation where an officer threatened a resident with a Taser and an officer was dismissed for arresting a 10-year-old boy over a minor dispute.

Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr., highlighted the tragedy as a moral lapse, commenting, “We are treating items on a shelf as more valuable than a child.”

Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell urged the community for patience during MBI’s investigation. He reassured the public of a thorough, independent inquiry into the tragic event.